A few years ago I wouldn't have believed that this issue would ever become part of our nation's social conversation, but here we are. The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer lobby (LGBTQ) has had amazing success in promoting certain issues and forcing conversation on subjects which probably have been ignored for too long. Simply put, people should not be ill-treated or discriminated against because of their sexual identity or preference. I grew up in an era where the words fag, dyke, gay and queer were commonly used as insults by young people. No doubt, persons were harrassed because of perceived differences relating to sexual preference. I can recall particular kids in Junior High and High School who were teased mercilessly; I'm a bit surprised that my graduating class didn't have any suicides because of this issue. It's encouraging to see real changes taking place, especially in grade school. All Americans, and Conservatives in particular, value privacy and believe that matters relating to sex should be discreet and between consenting adults. Hopefully we are reaching the point at which young people respect the right to privacy, and to live our lives not being singled out or discriminated against because of some perceived personal characteristic. I don't want to know what you are up to behind closed doors, and I would hope you would afford me the same privilege. Adopting this example of mutual self-respect will discourage name-calling and harrassment in Junior and Senior High School, and hopefully make those all-important years a positive experience for everyone.
With regards to today's blog posting, one of the more important issues raised in the previous paragraph is the subject of privacy. Actually, its much more important to identify privacy as not just a "subject", but as one of our most valuable Civil Rights. I support the right of every U.S. Citizen to seek redress for any infringment of rights. But we must be careful not to step on someone else's protections, as we act to defend our own. I do want want to share a restroom with a woman. I consider it to be a violation of my privacy and Civil Rights, to be obliged to partially undress and go about my PRIVATE business, in the presence of a woman. The LGBTQ lobby and its liberal Special Interest Group allies are determined to turn all public restrooms in the United States into unisex facilities. The argument being made is that a certain percentage of Americans are born trapped in the body of the wrong sex, therefore these folks should be allowed to use the restroom of their choice. I will not debate the issue of Transgenderism. I have met enough self-identified Trans persons to believe that the great majority of these unfortunate folks are suffering terribly. I won't begin to try and figure out the emotional and medical issues involved with this condition. I don't have to, because I have enough common deceny to recognize when another person is in sincere pain, caused by something over which they feel no control. Thank goodness the medical community has made tremendous advances in the field of sexual reassignment surgery. No doubt things aren't yet where they need to be, but Medicine seems to be on the right path.
My issue isn't complicated and it has nothing to do with bigotry, although after reading the next few paragraphs, I will undoubtedly be called a racist and a homophobe. What I am doing is nothing more and nothing less than any average American should do to protect their right to privacy. The LGBTQ lobby wants to give Trans individuals the right to use the bathroom which corresponds to the sexual identity that they have chosen. Until the medical community can find a universal method to certify someone as Transgender, I am expected to just "assume" that the genetic female standing in the men's restroom is truly a Trans person. I don't want to use the restroom alongside a woman, regardless of what identity issues he/she faces. I should have the RIGHT to decide who sees me in a state of partial undress, shouldn't I? I asked a few parents I know how they would feel knowing that a genetic male was in the ladies restroom at the same time as their eleven and twelve year old daughters; you can guess the response. If we decide to use the honor principle, and keep our fingers crossed, how long do you think it will be before some pedophile follows a young girl into the restroom for unthinkable purposes? If the police are fortunate enough to intervene, wouldn't this pedophile be able to identify himself as a Trans person named Mabel? I realize that some folks are going to accuse me of equating the Transgender issue with pedophilia, which is absurd. I am referring to sick people who will take advantage of any and every opportunity to access their target of interest. In fact, this nightmare scenario has already occurred, or at least something very similar.
The medical community hypothesizes that the Trans community in the United States makes up less than one percent of the population. Some special interest groups are willing to flip the table upside down for everyone, just to pursue "equal rights" for a miniscule number of people. Another very aggravating fact is that the LGBTQ lobby isn't interested in just adding another restroom with a unisex logo. They strongly believe that every person should have the right to chose which restroom most appropriately suits their sexual identity, and sharing a "unisex" facility with persons who are self-identified as the opposite sex would be humiliating. Actually, I respect that concern because, as I stated earlier, I accept that the Transgender issue is real, and must cause confusion, pain and depression, especially to young sufferers of this condition. I don't think I could function if I woke up tomorrow in a woman's body. But this conversation isn't about access to reassignment surgery, something I support. Our discourse today is about violating one person's Civil Right to privacy in an effort to accomodate another. Is it that difficult, to wait until after reassignment surgery to resolve the issue? But wait, I'm assuming that all Trans persons want reassignment surgery, when some have no intention of going under the knife, ever. This subject has so many confusing angles.
I'm certainly not a bigot or racist, but on this issue, I'm willing to be tagged as such in defense of my right to privacy. I should not be forced to use the restroom in front of a woman. True, no one is "forcing" me to use the facility, but the last time I checked, peeing in a public parking lot in broad daylight is still against the law. I respect the LBGTQ lobby and appreciate some of the problems they continue to address. But ts time to let up on this one, folks. This is the issue that just might provoke a backlash and jeopardize other, more reasonable goals.
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